Most families give a daily massage to their baby for the first year. Many families continue giving massages, though less frequently, until their child is five years or six years of age. There is no age limit to giving a massage or stopping them. You can continue giving massages to your baby for as long as you wish.
There are no set guidelines regarding the minimum age for when to start baby massage. Although nurturing touch can be given from birth, some babies may find formal, structured massage too stimulating in the very early weeks.
Generally, infant massage is suitable from birth but most parents start to attend classes when baby is around 4-6 weeks old. Before this, although babies love nurturing touch, being in a class can seem overwhelming for babies.
Many mums choose to massage their baby every day. Some do it just before a bath, while others prefer it after a bath. Some families even choose to do it twice a day for the first three months. But there is no ideal number of times a baby should be massaged.
Massaging babies provides an important source of stimulation involving the sensation of touch (tactile stimulation) and this stimulation promotes development and well-being as early psychological and sensory input is vital in facilitating an infant's development.
Your baby will tell you when the massage needs to end and which strokes she's likes or dislikes. If your baby starts to cry during the massage, she is telling you that she has had enough.
In the first year of your baby's life, you really only need to bathe them once or twice per week. Start with sponge baths until their umbilical stump falls off and then begin bathing them gently in the sink or tub. As they grow, babies may require more frequent baths as they get messier or start having fun in the tub.
Traditionally a massage is given before a bath but you can also choose to massage your baby after a bath. Choosing to massage your baby before or after her bath will depend on what oil or cream you use during the massage, and the condition of your baby's skin.
While raising babies, parents must remember that there is no such thing as too much affection, too much attention, or too much care. In fact, research proves that parenting is one aspect of adult life when doing things in excess is actually encouraged.
Despite popular belief, there is no evidence to suggest that applying pressure on your baby's head during a massage will make it round. Too much pressure can make him uncomfortable, or even hurt him. Some mothers use a horseshoe-shaped pillow in the hope that it will help make their baby's head round.
A mother herself should massage the baby, say the doctors. She should apply oil gently on the dry skin of the baby rather than use a midwife for the purpose who does it with forced rough movements which can harm the skin and bones of a baby if not done in a professional way.
Switching up baby's sleep position:
Baby's head can return to a more rounded shape by altering his position while he's feeding, asleep, and playing. Changing a baby's position is called counter-positioning or repositioning. It encourages the flattened areas of the newborn's head to reshape naturally.
Don't Schedule It Too Early or Too Late
A baby shower should not be held before the 20-week mark in pregnancy. Showers held too late, after 38 weeks, run the risk of the baby joining you for the baby shower.
Target the right body parts
Massage baby's feet using soft, gentle strokes. Massage baby's legs, working the shins and the thighs. Move to the arms, making sure to massage baby's hands, too. For baby's stomach, massage in a clockwise direction (the same way as baby's digestive system moves).
You cannot cuddle your baby too much. But new parents ask me that all the time because they think that too much cuddles could spoil their baby. Science tells us that cuddles strengthen that bond between parent and baby. The cuddle chemical, oxytocin, floods the brain.
New research points to cuddled children growing up to be healthier, less depressed, kinder, more empathetic, and more productive adults.
How often you massage your baby depends on you and your baby. Some parents give their baby massages daily, while other parents massage their little ones every other day. You can massage your baby during the morning to get the day going or at night before bedtime to help soothe your baby to sleep.
An infant's skull is easily molded. If necessary, a molding helmet might be used to help shape a baby's head. The helmet is worn at least 23 hours a day during the treatment period — often several months or even longer.
To clean your baby's labia, wet a cotton ball with warm water, hold your baby's legs apart and wipe between the labia with the cotton ball. Start at the front and gently wipe backwards. Use a new cotton ball if you need to wipe again. Dry your baby's genital area by gently patting with a soft towel.
The American Academy of Paediatrics suggests you should wash your baby's hair two or three times a week using a mild shampoo while regular 'topping and tailing' may be used to help keep your baby's face and body clean.
However, once babies are able to pull themselves into a standing position (approximately at 10 months of age) baby bath seats or rings should no longer be used.
Aim for a daily baby massage, but if that's not doable, try for at least three times a week. “A baby massage shouldn't last longer than 15 minutes or so,” Millhouse says. “Infants and children can't handle as much stimulation as adults and need shorter sessions.”
You can help your baby's head return to a more rounded shape by altering her position while she's asleep, feeding and playing. Changing your baby's position is called counter-positioning or repositioning. It encourages the flattened areas of your baby's head to reshape naturally.